Agricultural sprayer

ABSTRACT

An agricultural sprayer for spraying liquid chemicals, insecticides, and the like, onto trees, shrubs, vines, or fieldcrops, in a continuously turbulent spray so that all the leaves are continuously agitated and therefore are sprayed on all their surfaces. The sprayer apparatus includes a support carrying at least two nozzles which are in communication with a pump supplying a spraying liquid. The support is adapted to rotate about an arm owing to the reaction of the spray and it is angularly adjustable relative to the arm. The arm is angularly adjustable relative to a bar which is adapted to be removably mounted to a pipe or for longitudinal travel between rows of the agricultural crop to be sprayed.

[451` May 8,1973

Unite States Patent i191 Lubetzky et al.

[54] AGRICULTURALSPRAYER [75] inventors: Jacob Lubetzky,

xm MW uns MMN www MMT WWA www :L :P MMP :A .WR Wmo .was nmT HSN HAE T MAwww wm G E R O F 1,603,203 Tel Aviv; Zeev 1604870 Svavolski, RamatHasharon, both oflsrael 22,157 9/1930Australia..............................239/247 [73] Assignee: RessesLimited, Tel Aviv, Israel v 0ct. 27, 1971 Primary Examiner-Allen N.Knowles Assistant Examiner-Michael Mar Attorney-Alan G. Carlson et al.

[22] Filed:

Appl. No.; 192,878

[5l] Int. Cl.

[58] Field of Search.....................

sprayed on all their surfaces. The sprayer apparatus includes a supportcarrying at least two nozzles which are in communication with a pump sup[56] References Cited plying a spray- UNITED STATES PATENTS ing liquid.The support is adapted to rotate about an arm owing to the reactionofthe spray and it is angularly adjustable relative to the arm. The armis-angularly adjustable relative to a bar which is adapted to be forlongitudinal travel crop to be sprayed.

removably mounted to a pipe or between rows of the agricultural2,590,400 G ollnick........ 2,032,369 3/1936 Kilpatrick.... 349,0879/1886 Dennis......

1,495,821 5/1924 Tull 2,411,964 12/1946 Grass....

370,922 10/1887- Best........ 1,232,208 2,363,776

7/1917 Buckner... ll/1944 8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures Dale.............

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PATENTED HAY 8 |975 will,...

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION l. Field of the Invention The presentinvention concerns an agricultural sprayer for the spraying of liquidchemicals, e.g. insecticides, fungicides and the like, onto trees,lshrubs, vines, field crops or any other plants which have leaves and aregrown in rows. l

2. Description of the Prior Art Self-propelling sprayers or sprayersdrawn by a tractor are known. They all comprise elements whose functionit is to distribute the liquid spray onto the tree, which for thepurpose of this specification is meant to include all theabove-mentioned plants. Some sprayers include manually operablespray-guns. Others comprise a plurality of nozzles cooperating with ablower or turbine wheel, whereby the ejected liquid is carried by theair stream emanating from the blower or turbine as a spray to the trees.There are still others in which av horizontally or. vertically arrangedrigid pipe is provided with a plurality of nozzles along its lengththrough which the spraying liquid is ejected. The pipe is mounted sothat it can oscillate slightly whereby the nozzles and thus the sprayreceive a reciprocating motion in order to cover a larger sprayingsurface.

A great drawback of all the known sprayers is the fact that they do notcause the spray to penetrate into the leafy`part of the tree. Althoughthe spray is ejected at great pressure, only the top leaves of a treeare sprayed, since the spray comes from a source whichl moves linearlyonly, i.e. as the sprayer is drawn between a row of trees. Moreover, inorder to cover a large area a great number of nozzles are required. Afurther drawback of the known sprayers istheir complicated constructionand thus their high manufacture and maintenance cost.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a sprayer whichovercomes the above-mentioned drawbacks of the known sprayers in that itis of simple construction and effects a continuously turbulent sprayonto the tree whereby all-the leaves are moved permitting them to becovered by spray on all their surfaces.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention consists of an agriculturalsprayer apparatus including a support carrying at least two noz zleswhich are in communication with a pump supplying a spraying liquid. Thesupport is adapted to rotate about an arm owing to the reaction of thespray emanating from the nozzles and it is angularly adjustable relativeto a pipe which is mounted to a carriage for longitudinal travel betweenrows of an agricultural crop.

ln a preferred embodiment of the invention, the arm is pivotally mountedto sleeves adjustably fixed to the pipe extending from a carriage onwhich the pump is mounted.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic front elevation of a sprayer according to theinvention in the process of spraying between two rows of trees; and iFIG. 2 is a perspective partial view of a second embodiment of theinvention.

. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODMENT The agricultural sprayer ismounted on a carriage 1 on which the tank for the spraying liquid andthe pump, both indicated schematically by 2, are located. From thiscarriage, extending vertically upwardly is a pipe or bar 3 along which anumber of sleeves 4 are fixable at different levels. Pipe 3 may bemounted on the carriage in such a manner that it can be adjusted fromits vertical to a horizontal or angular position. Pivotally attached toeach sleeve at 5 is an arm 6, at the outer end of which a support forcarrying nozzles is located. The support includes a short sleeve 7pivotally mounted at 7. and a pipe 8 rotatably mounted at its center tothe axis of sleeve 7 and carrying at its end nozzles 9. If desire, pipe8 may be integral with sleeve 7. and rotate therewith about the pivotalconnection 7. The pivotal connection 7 is effected by well-known means.

The supply of the spraying liquid from the pump 2 to the nozzles iseffected by a flexible pipe (not shown) which leads through sleeve 7 andpipe 8 to nozzles 9.

The spraying of high pressure liquid through nozzles 9 causes therotation of pipe 8 owing to the reactive forces of the sprays. Thiscauses turbulence in the leaves of the trees so that the leaves are allmoved continuously whereby they can be sprayed on all their surfaces.And further, in view of the fact that'the spray at different levels maybe adjusted at different angles owing to the pivotal connection of arms6 and sleeve 7, all the leaves on at least the side of the trees facingthe sprayer will be covered by spraying liquid.

lf desired, the mounting of the nozzles 9 may be made angularlyadjustable relative to pipe 8 so that different speeds of spray can beeffected.

If desired, the spray liquid supply to the nozzles may be effectedthrough pipe 3 through sleeves 4, arms 6 and sleeve 7 in which case theposition of sleeves 4 will have to be fixed permanently and cannot bemade adjustable.

ln FIG. 2, the sleeve 7, pipe 8 and nozzles 9 are replaced by arotatable sleeve l0 from which at equal angular spacing pipes 11,carrying at their ends nozzles 12 extend. A pipe 13 supplying sprayingliquid leads into sleeve 10 and is mounted on a short arm 14 extendingfrom the surface of a circular plate l5 which is mounted by a screw 16to a second circular plate 17. The two plates l5 and 17 are angularlyadjustable relative to each other by means of screw 16. Short arm 14,rotatable sleeve 10, and pipes 11 comprise the support for nozzles 12. l

Extending from the outer surface of plate 17 is a short arm 18 tixedlymounted to a sleeve 4' fixed to pipe 3. Sleeve 4' is moveable withrespect to pipe 3. Arm 18 could be made to be angularly adjustable withrespect to sleeve 4'. Nozzles 12 are angularly adjustable relative topipes 11, whereby the direction of the spray and its speed canbeadjusted.

Instead of being mounted at the ends of pipes 8 or 11, respectively,nozzles 9 or 12 may be mounted in the circumference of a circular platewhich will be rotatable on or with pipe 7 or 10, respectively, as thecase may be.

lt is further possible to provide more than three nozzles on such aplate or as an alternative to provide more than three nozzles on a pipesuch as described in FIG. 2.

Itis further possible to make pipe 3 telescopically extensible either bya hydraulic or mechanical power source or by the spray liquid itself andto mount spray nozzles to the outermost pipe of said telescopicarrangement. ln this case, of course, the upper part of the tree onlywill receive spraying liquid.

What is claimed is:

1. An agricultural sprayer apparatus attachable to a carriage having atank and a pump for supplying liquid from said tank, comprising:

a. a pipe adapted to be removably mounted for longitudinal travelbetween rows of agricultural crops having foliage;

. an arm;

. means mounting said arm to said pipe for angular adjustable movementof said arm with respect to said pipe;

. support means;

first means mounting said support to said arm for angular adjustablemovement of said support with respect to said arm;

. second means mounting said support for rotation of said support withrespect to said arm; and

. at least two nozzles mounted to said support such that when liquidemanates from said nozzles said support will be caused to rotatewithrespect to said arm whereby said arm and said support means areadjustable to direct turbulent spray from said rotating nozzles foragitatingl said foliage of said crop and thereby spraying said foliageon all of its surfaces.

2. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes a pipe and asleeve mounting the pipe at said pipes center, said pipe carrying one ofsaid nozzles at each end thereof, said sleeve being mounted to said armby said first means mounting said support and said second means mountingsaid support.

3. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes a pipe and asleeve mounting the pipe at said pipes center, said pipe carrying one ofsaid nozzles at each end thereof, said sleeve being mounted to said armby said first means mounting said support, and said pipe being mountedto said sleeve by said second means mounting said support.

4. The sprayer of claim l wherein said support includes at least twopipes carrying one of said nozzles at each outer end and extendingradially from a sleeve which is mountable by said first mounting meansto said arm.

S. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes a circular platefor mounting said nozzles at said plates circumference.

6. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said means mounting said arm to saidpipe includes a sleeve adjustably affixed to said pipe.

7. The sprayer of claim 5 further including a flexible pipe for thesupplying of said liquid to said support.

8. The sprayer of claim 5 wherein said pipe contains means for supplyingsaid liquid to said support.

1. An agricultural sprayer apparatus attachable to a carriage having atank and a pump for supplying liquid from said tank, comprising: a. apipe adapted to be removably mounted for longitudinal travel betweenrows of agricultural crops having foliage; b. an arm; c. means mountingsaid arm to said pipe for angular adjustable movement of said arm withrespect to said pipe; d. support means; e. first means mounting saidsupport to said arm for angular adjustable movement of said support withrespect to said arm; f. second means mounting said support for rotationof said support with respect to said arm; and g. at least two nozzlesmounted to said support such that when liquid emanates from said nozzlessaid support will be caused to rotate with respect to said arm h.whereby said arm and said support means are adjustable to directturbulent spray from said rotating nozzles for agitating said foliage ofsaid crop and thereby spraying said foliage on all of its surfaces. 2.The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes a pipe and a sleevemounting the pipe at said pipe''s center, said pipe carrying one of saidnozzles at each end thereof, said sleeve being mounted to said arm bysaid first means mounting said support and said second means mountingsaid support.
 3. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes apipe and a sleeve mounting the pipe at said pipe''s center, said pipecarrying one of said nozzles at each end thereof, said sleeve beingmounted to said arm by said first means mounting said support, and saidpipe being mounted to said sleeve by said second means mounting saidsupport.
 4. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said support includes atleast two pipes carrying one of said nozzles at each outer end andextending radially from a sleeve which is mountable by said firstmounting means to said arm.
 5. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein saidsupport includes a circular plate for mounting said nozzles at saidplates circumference.
 6. The sprayer of claim 1 wherein said meansmounting said arm to said pipe includes a sleeve adjustably affixed tosaid pipe.
 7. The sprayer of claim 5 further including a flexible pipefor the supplying of said liquid to said support.
 8. The sprayer ofclaim 5 wherein said pipe contains means for supplying said liquid tosaid support.